Name Calling

They say you need water to survive. So why has water almost killed me, twice? I'll admit that the question is misleading, I often indulge in mental bantering about the oddities and idiosyncrasies of experience. Common occurrences may be random events but I look for unseen connections. The power of inductive reasoning may be the very source of fears and hopes and nightmares and dreams. It's really unfair to blame the water for my potential demise and further consideration does suggest a different culprit that is more appropriately blamed.

I attended a father and son's campout at a nearby KOA. They had a swimming pool and I looked forward to playing in the water. Unfortunately I had not yet learned to swim but I was fine with that because the shallow end was plenty big for a child my size. I splashed and played and bobbed about. I tried to do some simple strokes but I lacked the confidence to just go for it and let the water lift me up.

All was well until I neared the rope dividing the deep end from the shallow. Another boy jumped from the side and pulled me under the rope into the deep end. I was so startled that I didn't muster a scream until the moment my mouth hit the water. No one heard the gurgles and the shock caused me to inhale - not a good idea when under the water. I panicked and thrust my hands and legs in every direction. By sheer luck I scraped my flailing hand against the pool's edge. I still loved ponds, rivers and oceans but I waited almost 15 years before I tried swimming again.

A few years ago I was riding a trail during a family reunion. I went at a time when no one else was free so I was all alone with the woods. It's invigorating to explore and ride at your own pace and absorb the world without distraction or accommodation. The trail was simple with easy ascents and descents, but occasionally there were bumps that made the ride more fun.

Due to an oversight I had failed to bring my water bottle built for a bicycle water carriage. It was a short ride so I grabbed a bottle of water and stuck it in the carriage. It set in low but loose. It did have a pop-up top that I could easily open and close. This hydration solution worked well until I hit a bump and the water bottle flew out of the carriage and I heard it land behind me. Things would have been fine but I turned and looked behind me. I should have stopped first. Looking behind you on a bumpy trail to find your bottle of water is a bad idea.

I landed with a thud and a skid that shred my clothes and a bit of my thigh and leg. All of this in the name of water.

I sometimes spell water "STUPID".